Let’s Speculate: Supernatural 10.05 “Fan Fiction”
Summary:
Well this was just awesome. It was the best of awesome and Iām sorry, I just loved it.
The episode written by Robbie Thompson and directed by Phil Sgriccia has been dubbed the ālove letterā to the Supernatural fandom. For the 200th episode the show chose a meta route and it begins with the death of a teacher, which intrigues the boys, who have been resting. Sam, although hesitant about Deanās readiness for hunting, agrees to follow the case.
The episode is filled with many easter eggs for fans, from the Room 200 at the Route 200 motel to the musical itself. When the Winchesters arrive at the school they are horrified to find that this all girls high school has decided to produce a musical based on the Chuck Shurley books, which cover seasons 1-5. As the episode unfolds the mystery surrounding who and what is haunting or terrorizing the school is interspersed with musical numbers such as āThe Road So Farā and āIāll Wait Here for You.ā The songs were penned by Thompson in part. The MOTW is actually Calliope, the muse of poetry, and she is trying to get the vision ārealized.ā
The director and stage manager reinforce how this version is Marieās interpretation of the books. In fact she puts a robot in the text. *By the way, I squeed for reasons.* The play and the love that the girls have for the Winchester story provides inspiration to Sam and Dean, reminding them of their mission and reinvigorating their desire to keep going on the road so far. The most thrilling part, at least for me, was the return of the amulet and the fact that Dean hung it on the Impalaās mirror as the boys rode off into the sunset together.
There is not much to say beyond the fact that the episode is a monster of the week and is designed specifically for long time viewers of the show with some winks to subset fandoms like shippers. The girls were fantastic though. The songs were catchy. And dammit, WE got the Samulet. Iāll be over here in the corner hugging my Robbie Thompson doll.
Questions to Ponder:
What easter eggs did you find? Share them below.
What did you think of Samās speech at the end?
What did you think about Deanās reactions to the play?
What were your favorite parts?
Is a song stuck in your head?
So what are your thoughts, reactions, feelings? Leave them here!
I absolutely loved this episode. It surpassed all of my expectations and I am so glad I decided to avoid all spoilers for it. I laughed, I cried, I screamed. There was just so much in it, so many little and big things that the fans would pick up on. Supernatural writers really outdid themselves this time. Not to mention the acting, from the main cast to the guests, everyone was spectacular. If anything, I would like to thank them for what they have given us. It was truly supernatural and I look forward to seeing how everyone reacts to it as well as seeing what the future holds for this magnificent show.
I knew what was coming and STILL TEARED UP.
I just had to read the live tweets even thought we get it at 10pm eastern time here.
just posing a question–what would you all think of an abbreviated season of 8 episodes or a tv movie once or twice a year after this 10 or 11 year run.
I would not mind that at all. A SUPERNATURAL SPECIAL TV MOVIE :):D:o:p;)
OH MY GOD. THE EPISODE WAS KICK-ASS. They did the “bitch/jerk” exchange; they brought back the Samulet; they acknowledged Wincest (which I don’t like because ew, come on, they’re brothers, but it’s a part of the fandom, so whatever); they remembered Adam; they had John Winchester bashing; they had the brothers being brothers again; they had “Carry On Wayward Son” (which I hated even before I started watching Supernatural, but again, it’s a part of the fandom); it was magnificent. And by the end it seemed that Dean was pretty chill with the musical. He also didn’t seem to be too bent out of shape about the idea of Destiel, which I find interesting. (Maybe there’s something there?) It was a love letter to the fans and then some. Well directed and well acted. Absolutely amazing.
It was so enjoyable. I got the 200 on the motel door and the scene with Baby and “We got work to do.” There were so many and it’s late now so I can’t really think. I’m sure I missed things so I’ll rely on you and fandom. The idea that fans disagree was there and made me laugh, sort of.
I’ve already watched it twice. I loved it…the songs were great, the girls were perfect, and I laughed through the whole thing. I loved how Dean warmed up to the whole thing by the end, and apparently he’s pretty familiar with musicals! I think my favorite part was the look on the boy’s faces during “Carry On My Wayward Son” as they watched their “family” – including Bobby & Adam(!). Sam’s re-commitment to their mission, the amulet, the ending….Robbie Thompson is a genius!
I LOVE IT MORE THAN I CAN EXPRESS WITH WORDS.
The road so far is the song stuck in my head… and Dean jamming big time at his own sad lofe was just priceless omg. SAMULET!!!! I teared up a lot.. Iwas all laughs up until the last 5 minutes in which I turned into this little ball full of feels and tears and joy and every damn emotion. eASTER EGGS: We got work to do, Smith and Smith, I also think it referenced Dean Smith, Grown up juice, It’s a classic, no chickflick moments, 200 on the door,you know we’re bothers right? and I’m sure there are tons more that I can’t remember at the moment because of reasons and I can’t even. It was just AMAZING and that ending… oh boy I think I woke up the entire PerĆŗ with my screams.
I’m still smiling! š
Loved:
“You ran tech, Wolverine.”
“Did he just quote Rent?” “Not enough to get us in trouble”
The shout out to SPN fan/author S.E. Hinton – “We should have done [i]The Outsiders[/i] like I told you.”
“Take a bow, Sammy.” (So much layered meaning here!)
The “Jerk” – “Bitch” exchange, especially Dean’s reaction when he realizes the inappropriateness given the context.
But my favourite: The look on Sam and Dean’s faces when the cast sings “Carry On Wayward Son” *sniff*
You did good, Robbie Thompson!
P.S. Can I hope that in a future episode, the fake “Samulet” now hanging from the Impala’s rearview mirror will be mysteriously replaced by the real one? š
[i]”Who’s that?”
“Oh that’s Adam. John Winchester’s other kid. He’s still trapped in the cage. In Hell. With Lucifer.”[/i]
The look on Dean’s face. Please, oh please, let the rescue of Adam become the focus of the end of this season, or the initial narrative of season 11.
It’s time for Crowley to die, and high time the “bad guy” of Supernatural was worthy of the moniker. Bring back the threat of Lucifer and Michael.
Great to see Chuck again.
Blasphemy, Crowley die……..
Russ say it aint so :p
It’s long over due. Season 6 & 7 he worked, as he was [i]”the only game piece on the board who doesn’t underestimate those denim-wrapped nightmares”[/i]. That fit. Whilst he may not have been as powerful as Michael, Lucifer, Eve or the Leviathan’s, he wasn’t as pious as they were.
Season 8 he kind of worked, and the final trial was Mark Sheppard’s finest moment, but that act in itself has rendered Crowley a Joke. Everything he’s done since has been stupid, and the only other bad guy – Metatron – has been a pathetic nothing from the start. The villains on this show are lame.
Time to get back to the evil, scary and powerful. Crowley & Metatron don’t fit that bill. Kill them both, and move on.
The MISSING DEAN day dreams and thoughts seem a BIT MUCH. HE IS THE KING OF HELL after all. NOT SENTIMENTAL, huh, I cant tell. He is pining for DEAN. Dean is all kinds of fabulous but Really…
I agree with you Russ. Adam has to be rescued from the cage. I was hoping that somehow Demon Dean would have done it since he was now a knight of hell. I hope the reference of Adam ….. Hey Sam and Dean, Adam is still .locked in the cage is a bit of foreshadowing foreshadowing of the rescue mission ahead. Crowley does have to die for everything he has done. Sam said he would do it ….. I think he needs to keep his promise.
I loved it! I actually shouted loud enough (out of “OMG! Yes!!) when Chuck showed up that I kinda woke up our 7 year old. Sorry, son! It was so meta I couldn’t believe it! As much as I wish Misha had been able to be in it, it really didn’t make much sense for real Cas to be in it. He’s off looking for wayward angels with Hannah and it would have seemed too contrived to have him there … but he was still represented so that made me happy. But it’s the first episode in a long time I feel the boys are now on the same page and that really feels good because I’m so tired of the melodrama. I didn’t mind DemonDean saying the things he said as much at the beginning of this season because he was a demon and not himself but last season it was getting so old!
Favorite scenes? When they first walked into the theater to hear “Bobbie” saying “you are idjits” and then the first part of the play unfolding in front of their horrified eyes. “Cas” singing after telling Dean he’s “just wait hear then”, Carry on Wayward Son (OMG, teared up a bit), Dean putting the Samulet on the mirror and Chuck! Of course, now I’m curious … is he God? Was this his way of getting them back on the right path? I mean, “God” has only ever put Sam and Dean on a plane to get them out of harms way and brought Cas back a few times (thanks of for all that BTW) so maybe he still doesn’t want to be found. I mean, he can’t really be a prophet if he’s not actually dead and Kevin was around (ugh, was, miss that kid).
So glad Robbie Thompson wrote this because the only other writer I think could have done something like this is Edlund and he’s gone. I like most of the other writers, with a few exemptions (haven’t seen anything from them this season, yet) with carrying degrees but I don’t think the others could have pulled it off as well.
I thought this episode was really wonderful and worthy of being the 200th. It made me laugh, it made me cry and as I mentioned elsewhere, there’s always an important lesson for the boys and this one was the most important of all….their love and how it’s always been there and always will. š
I’m not one for shipping, but it is part of the fandom and I thought it was handled well and with great humor. I couldn’t stop laughing.
I was amazed at the songs and kept asking myself who wrote the music…it was perfect.
the picture of the wall that looked like Shakespeare….that was one of the crew right?
loved the call back to shadow….sam was a high school drama dork:D and him touching the board after she told him “don’t touch anything”…i couldn’t stop laughing at that.
really loved how sam was bemused by it all and dean of course was mortified. š
I absolutely grinned ear to ear when we discovered the writer of the play is a sam girl….I think that it’s an important message for dean, especially when she sang the song of how sam truly feels about his brother. I mean if fans can see it….then I think it’s about time dean did too….what a perfect way to point that out.;)
there were too many funny lines to even remember, but I do remember my favorite sam line that touched my heart……”what she said”….and let the tears begin:D
I have spoken so long about the return of the samulet, and I knew we would see it again …..I know it’s not the real one, but I still believe sam has the real one and when he is ready, he will give it back to dean. the one in the car….will do just fine for now. I thought it was both poignant and significant dean hanging the amulet in the car. the fact that dean hung it up in the one place that they really both consider home…that they can both see at all times and sam’s reaction to dean hanging it…well, let’s just say that i don’t think it will be too far off when sam is ready to give dean the real one. It is a testament that the writers do know what we want, even if story wise it wasn’t time to give us what we want. Robbie knew, as I bet they all did, that we referred to dean’s amulet as the samulet….and not only that, but what it represents. the biggest shout out to the fandom was her saying that dean should’ve never thrown it away. she took the words right out of my mouth…..but I did love dean’s response ” I don’t need a symbol to remind me of how I feel about my brother”. very true…..but she told him to take it anyway….that was important. I think because I don’t believe she told him to take it to remind him of his feelings for sam; she’s a fan like us, like me i should say, and my feeling is that she wanted him to take it to remind dean of how his brother feels about him. š she did after all specifically sing a song illustrating that very fact. š
carry on wayward son…..the tissues were at the ready.
you know, in the other review, another fan posed who the male guest might be and i posed a scenario that i wanted to see….in that posit i wanted to see chuck sitting at his computer continuing on with the Winchester gospels up until the last scene his last sentence….”and then”…..i thought he would be shown at the last minute and didn’t really say anything…just continued on with the Winchester story…..well right train, different track…..chuck did show up at the last minute, only he wasn’t writing, at least not at the moment….. awesome…. by the way, i do believe chuck is God. He’s still watching over them, and i do think he’s still writing sam and dean’s story….hell he’s well into the tenth book:D;)
i loved that we were yet reminded of adam as well….and i thought what if he did get out….he’d most likely be Lucifer’s minion at this point….he would make for a very big bad indeed…..
I thought it was absolutely awesome. The references were done with humor and I loved the boys reactions to them. I started and crying at “Carry on my Wayward Son” and was pretty much sobbing when Chuck showed up. Chuck!!!!!!!! So awesome. I’m not really coherent right now except to say that I stayed unspoiled and I’m so glad I did. It really did feel like we were all a family while I watched.
I really enjoyed it. It was a funny episode that had everything. I loved watching Sam and Dean’s reactions to it all. Their expressions were so cute! And, yes, I cried at the end too. [i]Carry On[/i] got to me, and I was so happy to see Chuck. I’ve watched it three times already, and can see myself watching it again and again.
Also, I’m just kind of relieved not to have the depression of seasons 8 & 9 hanging over me. I like Sam and Dean together and speaking to each other, so I’m a happy camper.
I really loved the episode too. I loved the winks to the fans (although I wonder what the non-fandom-savvy watchers saw in this! I might have to ask my friends who watch the show and aren’t involved in fandom at all.), because at the same time, I feel the story stayed true to canon. Basically, the episode acknowledged the fandom, but made it clear that fanon and canon are two separate things. And I, personally, like it that way.
I LOVED Sam and Dean’s reactions (kudos to Jensen and Jared!). The girls were wonderful as well, and all in all, there were many comedy gold moments, I laughed a lot during the episode. But the emotional scenes were the ones that got me. When the girls sang “Carry on wayward son”, and Sam and Dean’s faces during that, man, that was amazing. At the end, it really is just Sam and Dean, together, against the world.
I loved this rendition of “Carry on” – but the song that’s really stuck in my head is “The road so far” (damn it!). š
Oh, and CHUCK LIVES! How cool is that?!
Wow! I don’t know why I was so anxious. I had gotten a couple of spoilers (I tried not to) about Chuck and the amulet so that worried me a bit, but this was something special. I don’t cry at SPN but I might have let loose a single (wo)man-tear. It was basically a smile kind of episode and perfect for #200. Excellent production all around and the pacing was great.
I’m glad i read comments before responding because Nappi said something that really really helped me see a different interpretation of something that angered me. The teen Sam girls ode to the wonders adn saintliness of Dean. Seriously? But Nappi said it was Dean seeing and realizing how much Sam does love him. Ok….is that sweet or pathetic that Dean has to to have a Godzilla sized anvil dropped on his head to know that Sam loves his brother?
another thing if someone can reinterpret for me Sam being told basically he would have worth if he subsummed himself and became Dean. “If you cut your hair you’d make a good dean” All this while the writers yet again take something between Sam and Dean (bitch/jerk) and give it to Dean and another charector. First Crowly and now a little girl. And why is Sam yet again being sent out of the room while Dean bonds with others? Why can’t Sam bond just once with someone other then Dean?
And the amulet. Its a fake. Dean thinks the amulet symbolizes their brotherly love when in truth it has always symbolized Sams trust in Dean…trust over John…trust that Dean will tell him the truth. It feels very…wrong. And I wish they had mentioned why Dean deliberatly threw it away….that lack of faith and trust…of course it was also subsumed and turned into something between Dean adn Cas…their daddy issues. So…
I thought the haircut comment was either a nod to all of the attention Sam’s hair gets (and not Dean’s) or it was a little shout out to Dean of Gilmore Girls. Either way I think it was just a little dig at the fans obsession with details. I didn’t notice Sam being sent away. I thought in the end they watched the song together and then drove away. I will have to watch again and again and again I guess….:)
[i] Marie: Yeah. You’re right. If Sam and Dean were real… they wouldn’t back down from a fight. Especially my sweet… brave… selfless Sam. There’s nothing he can’t do.
Dean: No.
Maeve: You know, if you cut your hair a little, you’d make a pretty good Dean.
Sam: Thanks. [/i]
I think those were a reference to there being Sam-girls and Dean-girls. And although Dean wasnāt thrilled about Marieās comment, in [b] 9.01 I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here [/b] Dean had said, [i] āYou’re capable of anything, Sam, and hell if you didn’t prove me right.ā [/i]
I think the haircut comment was a nod to Sam looking up to his older brother (Dean as a father) most of his life and now has become a man himself.
[quote]And why is Sam yet again being sent out of the room while Dean bonds with others? Why can’t Sam bond just once with someone other then Dean? [/quote]
Well, let me try my perspective. You don’t have to agree of course because if there’s one thing we learn from “Fanfiction” is that whatever version of canon fans believe, it’s enough that we believe in them and we should respect other fan’s believes too, including the shippers.
IMHO it’s great that the First Act was told by Dean’s song because that’s how Kripke told his story in the begining, thru Dean’s perspective. And it’s great that the director is a Sam’s girl because while we have Dean’s canon perspective, we rarely have Sam’s perspective. So Marie’s understudy of Sam is important, thus it’s important to make Marie a Sam’s girl. It gives balance to their show. They have Dean’s perspective in Canon and Sam’s perspective from Marie. Because later when they need an actor to play Sam, Marie can substitute. Dean is needed to sing the initial act because that’s how Supernatural is being depicted through the earlier seasons. So, they can’t have the scarecrow kidnap the actor who plays Dean. For the sake of the storytelling I think it has to be the girl who plays Sam who’s been kidnapped so that Marie can substitute later on and they have the final confrontation with the baddie with Marie as Sam and the real Sam.
Second, why did Sam leave Dean to bond with Marie? Obviously I think Maeve is a Dean’s girl but she’s not the director and it’s not Maeve that’s been targeted by Calliope. Marie as a Sam’s girl needs to bond with Dean because for all of his lack of self worth, Dean often doubt his worth in his brother’s eyes. Dean clearly loves Sam to pieces but he often thinks Sam didn’t feel the same. Sam has to remind him again and again that he’s worth just as much if not more in Sam’s eyes. Here, Sam’s voice is represented by Marie.
Now, before we all shout “But why doesn’t they just make Sam say it instead of substituting him with Marie?” 1) Because Marie is a fan and we know that fans sometimes understand the characters better. She understudy Sam after all. 2) Marie is a girl who don’t shy away from any chickflick moment. In fact she embraces it. A lot of what she said would never be said by the character without being OOC.
– Her lecture about the Samulet being the symbol of Sam and Dean’s brotherly love.
– Sam maybe amused by the shippers but it’s Marie who is blatantly welcome and embrace the subtexts.
– A single man tear. I wish he sees himself the way I see him. A perfect man without a sin. But beneath all that manly sheen. He’s just my brother, a boy named Dean.
I know Sam has said all of that indirectly, like his speech in Season 3, the end of season 8, The end of season 2. But Dean needs to hear it after the Deanmon fiasco. ALso, the way Marie make Dean take the Samulet shows that while Sam hasn’t say anything about the amulet to Dean, we fans believe that the amulet is important to him. And Sam maybe is still hurting over the trash can incident but Marie doesn’t have that issue. She understudy Sam and she knows Sam and she knows how that amulet means to Sam. After the end of S8, where we’re clearly shown how Sam after all this years still yearn of his big brother’s trust that he lost at the end of S4. Still wants to make big brother proud of him, still looking up to Dean. It’s all clearly stated in marie’s song. It’s as if Marie is telling Dean to take the amulet anyway because although Dean didn’t need a symbol to remind him of how he feels about Sam[b] but Sam doesn’t know that.[/b] Dean, you need to tell Sam that.
That is an interesting and beautifully stated perspective of those scenes. I also thought that it was important that Dean was the one that heard the song “Single Man Tear” and understood maybe for the first time, maybe just needing to hear it again since becoming a demon, that this is how Sam sees his older brother. And I also thought it was important that Dean remembers how proud he is of Sam and the fact that he has always been his own man, has always tried to pursue his own dreams. I think this is how the writers and actors also see how the characters are portrayed. These are brothers that don’t always articulate how they feel about each other and misunderstandings (mostly in how they feel the other brother sees them) happen when they start to doubt themselves. “A single Man Tear” while having a humorous premise was steeped in brother relationships and for me the most poignant song of the episode. It was an inventive way to have a “BM” without the melodrama.
And I think that Dean did tell Sam that he didn’t need the symbol of the amulet when he hung it on the rearview of the Impala. They have been through the ringer since the 100th episode and they have had each others backs every step of the way magic amulet or not. But it was a touching sentiment for the fans and maybe put to rest once and for all that some hotel room maid has the amulet now. The brothers didn’t really need it after all.
to kaj and Cheryl….
very eloquently put. š
Yes, there’s a song stuck in my head, that haunting, incredible version the girls did of Carry On my Wayward Son (along with the boy’s reaction to it). EPIC anyone? What an awesome, fun, entertaining, and epic hour of TV. Has there ever been anything like SPN on TV ever? A show that can laugh at itself and still get the eyes all misty at the same time?
What an episode!
The version of Carry On was fantastic. Hope there’s a longer uninterrupted version floating around somewhere that could end up as an extra on the DVD/Blu-Ray (or YouTube)
Kick it in the as…! even Kim was in the 200th
Jensen and the Samulet hitting his mouth
HarvelleĀ“s
J2Ā“s faces at the end of the play, the family reunion… I always thought it was going to be like that, the last scene of the last episode of SPN, a family reunion in heaven
I am so sick of this sam vs. dean bullshit.
THIS WAS A LOVE LETTER TO ALL THE FANS AND SHIPPING PEOPLE. ALL.
I’m with you Nolanola. A love letter to ALL indeed! This Sam vs. Dean bs is getting so so old and boring.
This was a very special show in appreciation of ALL the fans.
Thank you writers, actors and crew for the wonderful gift you have given us!
I loved this episode. Dito to all the love that has been mentioned already. And here are a few thoughts of my own.
I love that they showed ALL the title cards and not just the ten main ones.
The baby porn with Dean in the beginning with a look into babys trunk.
The one thing that I enjoyed the most was the remake of the ending of the pilot – the boys standing at the open trunk Dean throwing something in and saying we got work to do before he closes it.
I definatly need some rewatches but I believe the motel the boys stayed in is the same as the one that we saw before we got the famous “Eye of the tiger” scene.
And when the boys arrive at school havent we seen that same wall in Hollywood Babylon. And one more comparison with that episode. In Hollywood Babylon the boys walk of into the sunset (a fake one) this time they drive off into the sunset.
I also love it that they picked the scarecrow as the monster for the school play and the comments about how scary it is. That is what the first season is all about. I know young girls who didn’t make it past Bloody Mary because the show was to scary for them.
I need to watch it a few more times since I am sure they are hidding a lot of those easter eggs in that episode. I wonder how many i am able to find.
I also thought that the buildings might be ones that have been used in the show before. And I liked them giving a shout-out to the Scarecrow being scary.
Other moments that caught my attention were a joke about āDiestielā (at least Jared and Misha have done that on Twitter), Sam the Chosen One, Dean making a rousing speech like in [i] 8.11 LARP and the Real Girl [/i] (also written by Robbie Thompson) and a surprise reference to the Ghostfacers.
Iām not sure what to make of Dean fixing Casā tie before the play started. And I thought it was a little weird that Dean was getting into the song although they were reenacting his motherās death.
I’m almost positive that the theatre was the same one that was seen in Tall Tales, when the boys confront the trixter at the end of the episode. Dean is fighting the hot chicks (and getting his ass kicked!) and Dean and Bobby are fighting the chain saw wielding mad man. I’m pretty sure this is the same place. I also thought that the basement of the school looked like John’s locker, but maybe I’m reaching now. š
During the early seasons Eric Kripkes Boogyman was a running gag and I don’t know if Dean mentioning Boogyman was ment as a shout out to that.
During the early seasons Eric Kripkes Boogyman was a running gag and I don’t know if Dean mentioning Boogyman was ment as a shout out to that.
Overall, I liked the 200th episode way more than I thought I would. There were parts that made me laugh and I did cry.
I find it weird that Dean chose that particular bit of news to investigate. Was he influenced by the supernatural?
I knew they were going to mention Sam having been in a play called [i] Our Town. [/i] Itās a really cute moment from season one. My sappy headcanon was that Dean hadnāt wanted to miss the play even if Dad wasnāt able to be there, Dean had felt pride that Sam was his little brother and Dean had secretly loved watching Sammy perform on stage. Unfortunately, [i] Fan Fiction [/i] kind of put a damper on it. Deanās attitude about [i] Oklahoma! [/i] gave the impression that he had liked [i] Our Town [/i] just because it had actually been a good play. Maybe my new headcanon can be that Dean had felt exasperated fondness while sitting in the audience because his geeky little brother was playing with the sound effects and lights and not doing a very good job but Dean had known that Sam loved every minute of it.
Iāve seen fans put together all the different title cards so itās good that there is an official version on the show now.
I loved the original Smith/Smith thing but in this episode it felt a little out of place as well as [i] āNo chick-flick moments!ā [/i]
[i] āSam hit a dog.ā [/i] Har har. So now it isnāt just the fans who use that to take a dig at Sam? Dean and Crowley aka the writers have joined in? If thatās the case, they shouldāve acknowledged that they dropped the ball when they tried to tell the āSam didnāt look for Deanā story.
And I find it interesting that when Dean recapped what had happened after [i] Swan Song, [/i] he neatly skipped the part where he had let an angel possess Sam without Samās knowledge. Does that mean that lines like [i] āI liedā [/i] and [i] āIām proud of usā [/i] didnāt put the issue to rest?
I agree that Dean going to live with Lisa and Ben was not the proper ending for the brothers. I knew Marie would end up mocking Deanās version of the Winchestersā journey but the story hadnāt sounded that ridiculous so maybe it was put in the episode just because of the whole Kripke vs. Gamble vs. Carver thing.
Why did Sam and Dean want the girls to know that they are the real Sam and Dean? Maybe they feel quite isolated from the rest of the world.
Sam was cute but kinda dumb when he gave Dean the thumbs up even though Dean was waving at him frantically. š It seems like both Sam and Dean got a little excited that people were doing a play about them.
The part where Dean was running after Sam in-between the curtains was done well.
In the play, John drove the Impala and Sam had to return to sitting in the back seat. I wonder how that dynamic would have come across in season one.
In a way, I like that they joked about the single man tear because I think the show has taken it too far (Kevinās death.) However, I wonder what Jensen thinks of it.
[i] āTake a bow, Sammy.ā [/i] Finally, a cute Sammy moment instead of the weird use of the nickname that has been going on since the latter part of season nine. (Although Dean didnāt say that to the real Sam.)
[i] Carry On Wayward Son [/i] was sung beautifully. The moment moved me. (But the way they ended the song didnāt deliver.)
Itās been a joke inside the fandom that Sam and Dean have forgotten about their other brother Adam but Iām not sure if it was wise to open up that can of worms in the show.
I prefer āus against the worldā to be a serious thing for the brothers even though the sentiment is a bit of a clichĆ©.
I anticipated that Chuck will make an appearance in the episode but for one crazy moment I thought Kripke or Jeffrey Dean Morgan would be back! Is Chuck God? If he is, did he orchestrate the whole thing so Sam and Dean would come together?
By the way, was it a deliberate choice that Ann Marie and Marie were both characters that interacted with Dean?
[u] Shipping [/u]
The nod to wincest was good. I hadnāt noticed that the girls were standing too close. I guess Iām used to Sam and Dean not needing much personal space. š
The part where they revealed that the girls playing Dean and Cas were a couple āin real lifeā was a bit too much. After learning about Destiel, Dean/Jensen looked straight at the camera like āReally??ā It seems to have been a very deliberate choice because itās extremely rare for the characters on the show to address the audience that way.
[i] Dean: Okay, well, first of all, uh, the play’s not dumb.
Maeve: I thought you didn’t believe in this interpretation.
Dean: Yeah, I don’t. Like at all. B-but you do, okay? And I need you to believe in it with all you got so that we can kill Calliope and we can save your friends. Can you do that? [/i]
I think that should end the demands to know whether or not Destiel will ever be canon. It wonāt be canon and it has been made clear even before this episode.
I didnāt really like the song [i] āI’ll just wait here, thenā [/i] although I enjoyed Dean and Casā interaction in season five. I think Casā line, [i]āI’m the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition,ā[/i] has been romanticized too much.
That reference to tentaclesā¦ Just what kind of fan fiction do these writers read? XD
[i] Dean: You keep writing, Shakespeare.
Marie: Even if it doesn’t match how you see it?
Dean: I have my version, and you have yours. [/i]
By that point I felt that shipping had been referenced way too many times. The 200th episode shouldnāt be like that even when itās a meta episode. I think Destiel fans might still take the episode as a sign that Dean/Cas is canon. Sam was delighted about the shipping thing and he came up with different pairing names but Deanās reaction might lead Destiel fans to say āThe lady doth protest too much, methinks.ā It feels like Destiel has gotten so out of hand that the writers needed to address that in-universe.
[u] The amulet [/u]
[i] Marie: Meaning, where is the Samulet?
Siobhan: Oh, I took it off. It kept hitting me in the lips and —
Marie: that amulet is a symbol of the Winchestersā brotherly love. You need to take one for the team. [/i]
First I thought they were just calling out Jensen, the fans and the powers that be. š
[i] Marie: Okay, Samulet?
Dean: The…Samulet?
Marie: That amulet is a symbol of the Winchesters’ brotherly love. [/i]
My first reaction was that I wished Dean hadnāt shaken his head upon hearing that. At that point I wondered whether it meant that Dean had never really thought about what the amulet symbolizes or that the amulet doesnāt mean that much to him, he doesnāt need that in order to feel that he and Sam share a bond.
[i] Marie: Dean? You never should’ve thrown this away.
Dean: [Chuckles] It never really worked. I don’t need a symbol to remind me how I feel about my brother, so…
Marie: Just take it… Jerk.
Dean: Bitch. [Chuckles] Right. Okay.
āI don’t need a symbol to remind me how I feel about my brotherā [/i] voiced what I have thought Deanās feelings about the amulet to be because the issue never came up after the amulet was discarded. However, Deanās casualness made me a little sad. He didnāt look like it bothered him that he had thrown the amulet in the trash. I had thought that there might be a possibility that near the end of he show Sam would give the amulet back to Dean (so Jensen wouldnāt have to wear it for long) and Dean would be glad because he had regretted throwing the amulet way. But the scene made me hope that Sam hasnāt held onto it because Deanās feeling about the amulet would be slap in the face in a way.
It was a nice touch that Dean hanged the replica from the rear-view mirror. For the first time after the events of [i] 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon [/i] Dean acknowledged that the amulet had been important to them. Samās reaction gave the impression that he doesnāt have the original one somewhere safe.
I think I need to see the next episodes to determine what the amulet means now. It just doesnāt feel right that Dean had kept Castielās trench coat but he hadnāt been feeling sentimental about the amulet. It seems that he had long forgotten about it sort of like they stopped the āBitchā āJerkā banter. Iām not sure if the writers can bring the real amulet back anymore. It sort of seems like Sam and Dean have moved past it.
I hope big brother Dean is back. And epic [i] Supernatural. [/i]
well the way i look at it….you have to remember that this episode is a love letter to the fandom and what some of the fandom believes and desires….
regarding the amulet: at no point in show’s canon was it ever said or were we specifically told that the amulet represented the brother bond. that is not sam and dean canon….that is fan canon. we the fans decided that the samulet represented their brotherly bond…that’s how we saw it….but it was never how the boys saw it, nor was it ever presented that way.
let’s go back to the episode…avsc…. sam is 8 and dean is 12. this 8 year old boy has a gift for his dad, a special gift given to him by uncle bobby. during the course of this eppy, this little boy and i must stress little, because regardless of how smart sam is, he is an 8 year old boy both in reality and emotionally. so this 8 year old boy who still believed in santa, discovers the truth about his father , his mother, everything. an 8 year old boys innocent world is shattered and although he knew something wasn’t right, he was still an innocent. then he finds out the truth from his brother. a truth that he should’ve learned from his father….a father who was absent on Christmas. so this 8 yr old boy discovers not only the truth of what happened to his mom and what his father does and that monsters are real, but he also discovers that the only person he can truly count on is his brother. his brother who told him the truth. his brother who promised it would all be ok when he woke up. a brother who stole xmas gifts so that he could have Christmas. this 8 year old boy who recognizes that the only one he can count on, who’s always there for him is his big brother. so this boy gives his brother the only thing he has as a way of saying thank you. the gift he had intended to give to his father. it was a precious and special moment between two brothers no doubt. dean loved it. the smile on sam’s face knowing that his gift was enough and that it made dean happy…dean wearing it all the time, not because it represented a symbol of their brotherhood….he wore it because it was a gift from his little brother.
we the fandom watched that scene and decided that the amulet represents their brotherhood….but that’s our own romanticizing fan notion….for sam and dean, it was simply a gift from one brother to another.
when dean threw the amulet away, it wasn’t him spitting on their brotherhood. dean never even thought of the amulet in that regard. dean found out from cas what the amulet really was, a God locater. when they ended up in heaven, dean learned that God didn’t want to help. the apocalypse wasn’t his problem. at that moment, what little faith dean had in God vanished. the amulet, which was a God locater, was worthless, because God didn’t want to help. he threw the amulet away because he had no faith in anything anymore. he didn’t believe in God and he didn’t believe in himself. throwing away the amulet that really was more a symbol of God if anything…had nothing to do with dean not loving his brother, it had to do with giving up. sam was upset when dean threw it away, but i don’t think he was upset that he threw away the gift, well maybe a little, but i believe sam was upset because he knew at that moment dean gave up on everything and it upset him.
when dean learns from marie that the fandom sees the amulet as symbol of the Winchester brother bond, he’s surprised. why would dean need a trinket to remind him of how much he loves his brother? it makes no sense to him. he tells her that he doesn’t need an amulet to remind him how he feels about his brother. but she tells him to take it. her insisting dean take it represents the fandom and his taking it represents the writers ceding to the fandom’s notion of what the samulet means. what we all decided it meant.
so when dean takes the amulet, he accepts the fandom’s belief of what that amulet truly represents, and when he hangs it in the car, it’s meant to be a reminder to both of them what it represents….the Winchester brothers and their love for ea. other…
the writers have ceded to the fandom and now the samulet and it’s new meaning is canon. š
Hi Nappi! I loved the episode but I’m going to have to disagree with you on your interpretation of what the amulet represented. A Very Supernatural Christmas gave it weight. Made it a story telling symbol. In a way that was never done for that trenchcoat (until he was giving it back to Cas-and then out the blue it meant something to Cas-UGH -love that episode other than that). Not even so much the giving of it because yes Sam was a very young and he may not have thought much of it if Dean had stopped wearing shortly after, but the longer he wore it without fail the more meaning it would take on. Which it why the fact that they cross cut to show Dean still wearing it so many years later(as he had in almost every episode before and after until he very reluctantly gave it to Cas) as he entered the room at the end of the episode, is the real statement in the episode. But just in case you think that was misinterpreted they double down in Lazarus Rising and showed Sam wearing it and solemnly giving it back to Dean. He had taken it off Dean’s dead body and began wearing it himself.
And I don’t buy that God is the reason he threw it away. Dean didn’t wear the necklace for 20 years because of God. He was a sinking man. In incredible pain, much of in caused directly or indirectly by Sam, who’d he’d clung to. He was lost and was giving up on everything, including Sam. He threw it away to hurt Sam and as a way the show could symbolize how bad off he was. Like when he beat the crap out of the Impala. No it wasn’t a symbol of their relationship, in the way a wedding ring is. But it held weight because of how long it had meant something. Like a lesser version of the Impala. I’ll admit that I wished for a slightly more heartfelt expression from Dean during that scene, but it didn’t dull my love of the episode.
nappi815, I donāt think it had been just fanon that the amulet held a symbolic meaning for the brothers.
[b] 4.01 Lazarus Rising [/b]
[i] Sam: Hey, wait. (stands) You probably want this back.
Dean: Thanks.
Sam: Yeah, don’t mention it.
[Dean puts the amulet on] [/i]
The looks on their faces showed that the moment was meaningful for them. Sam had worn the amulet instead of putting it away after Deanās death. He wouldnāt have done that if the amulet had just been gift from Sam to Dean when they had been children.
[b] 5.02 Good God, Y’all [/b]
[i] Bobby: Well, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I got nothing like that.
Castiel: I know. You don’t.
[Castiel looks at Dean, then drops his gaze to Deanās amulet, and back up.]
Dean: What, this?
Castiel: May I borrow it?
Dean: No.
Castiel: Dean. Give it to me.
[Dean is silent, realizing Castiel is serious, then thinking it over. He takes off the amulet.]
Dean: All right, I guess.
[Dean holds it out, then pulls back when Castiel reaches for it.]
Dean: Don’t lose it.
[Castiel takes it.]
Dean: Great. Now I feel naked. [/i]
Dean really didnāt like giving the amulet up and it had nothing to do with the amulet having a special power i.e. burning hot in Godās presence.
[b] 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon [/b]
[i] Castiel: I donāt need this anymore.
[Castiel tosses it to Dean who shakes it out so we can see what it is.]
Castiel: Itās worthless.
[Castiel turns away.]
Sam: Cas. Wait.
[The sound of wings is heard and Castiel is gone. Sam tosses his shirt on the bed angrily. Dean hasnāt looked up from the amulet in his hands.]
Sam: Weāll find another way. We can still stop all this, Dean.
Dean: (finally looking up) How?
Sam: I donāt know, but weāll find it. You and me, weāll find it.
[Dean throws the amulet in the trash.] [/i]
I never saw the moment as being just about God. Seeing Samās heaven memories had really shaken Dean up.
[i] Dean: (turning away) Yeah, he wasnāt the only one you got away from.
Sam: Dean, Iām sorry. I just, uhā¦
Dean: I know. You didnāt, you didnāt think of it like that.
Sam: Dean!
Dean: Cāmon! Your heaven is somebody elseās Thanksgiving. Okay. Itās bailing on your family. What do you want me to say?
Sam: Man, I never got the crusts cut off my PB & J. I just donāt look at family the way you do.
Dean: Yeah, but Iām your family.
Sam: I knowā¦
Dean: I mean, weāre supposed to be a team. Itās supposed to be you and me against the world, right?
Sam: Dean, it is!
Dean: (after a pause) Is it? [/i]
In [b] 5.18 Point of No Return [/b] he was ready to give himself up to Michael because [i] āI justā¦ IāI donāt believe. — — In you.ā [/i]
Thus, I think that during Kripkeās years the amulet had been meant as a sign of the brothers being united. It wasnāt just something Dean liked to wear.
I’ve always thought that the samulet was given to dean because sam knew that dean was the only person in this world he could trust and count on and that meant something to him. I’ve also always believed sam has given dean a purpose, that sam made dean feel like he mattered, that sam depended on dean and needed dean, in a way that no one ever had or will. I have no doubt that dean treasured that gift from his brother. I have no doubt he wore it every day because it meant so much to him that sam gave it to him instead of their father and for the reasons sam told him. I have a necklace that was my grandfather’s who died and a cross from an uncle who died and I wear them together every day since I got it, never taking it off…..it’s not so much a symbol of my family bond for me as it is a way of keeping them close and remembering them. I think it could be the same with dean….that the amulet, which really is a precious gift from his brother, keeps sam close to his heart…and trust me when I say, I know that the samulet represents the love these boys have….of course sam kept the amulet and wore it after dean died….this was his gift to him that dean loved and wore since the day he got it.. sam wearing it, keeps dean close to his heart, always remembering, holding it in his hands remembering what it means. i’m sure wearing that amulet also fueled sam in his hunt for Lilith. when dean came back, he returned it to where it rightfully belonged.. maybe i didn’t post what i meant correctly…i do think the amulet was given weight and meaning. i did state it to be a precious gift. it meant the world to dean that sam chose him to give it to and i think it says it all that sam wanted dean to have it. the amulet is precious indeed, but it was the giving of the gift, the very gesture itself that made the amulet so special….it was a gift of love. if dean didn’t throw it away…if it had gotten lost or it fell in a river or melted in a fire, the love between these boys wouldn’t be any less real or strong. yes i agree that dean threw it away when he’d given up on everything, including Cas’s God, his brother, but mostly himself…. if that amulet symbolized anything when it was given, it was the trust sam had for his brother and sam’s knowledge that he could count on dean for anything….dean misconstruing sam’s memories and concluding that sam was happy without dean, when that was not what sam’s memories were about at all….well that falls back to dean’s low self esteem and his lack of worth in himself….which leads to his almost saying yes to Michael. it was only sam’s faith in dean, when no one else had faith in him, including himself that he came back from that darkness….there was no amulet around his neck at the time….it was sam himself and sam’s love for his brother that brought him back….;)
so when dean seems surprised in the eppy at what the samulet symbolizes …i rationalized that it’s because he can’t actually comprehend the notion that the fandom actually thinks it’s a trinket that’s necessary in reminding him of how much he loves his brother or how much his brother loves him and that everything they do for ea. other isn’t enough evidence of that ….i just don’t think dean gets that the fandom doesn’t think that at all, that we know it’s love…. the amulet merely symbolizes this love.
so i think dean seeing the boys through the fans’ eyes brings him a new understanding that he didn’t quite have before. i just think that, and i could be wrong fellas, but i think that as guys and as Winchesters especially, that the boys don’t see things as romantically or sentimentally as females might. we are a predominately female fandom so we see things and consider things a little differently than perhaps the male fans might. if this were a boys school instead of a girls school would the play have gone differently? would a guy see the amulet as a symbol of the brother bond or would he see it as a gift from one brother to another and the bond isn’t represented by a necklace….it just is. i don’t know…but i’d love a guys perspective… i just took dean’s reaction as a typical male response more than anything… i thought it very significant that dean came to see the amulet and what it means the way the fandom does. where it wasn’t really “officially canon” before, i mean like on paper….after this eppy i certainly believe it is now. it’s officially, out loud, on paper, filmed in front of a non live studio audience ….supernatural canon. š
Not that it is important to me. But I did think the show gave weight to the amulet otherwise why emphasize it in certain episodes ? hanging a fake one up in the car does not change anything for me but it can symbolize alot to others .
I totally agree that show gave weight to the amulet. I also agree that it was very important to dean, because it came from sam. it was so very precious to him as it was a gift from his brother and it does clearly represent the love they share. what I was trying to point out, and unfortunately I don’t think I did it justice:D, was dean’s surprise that other’s thought that the necklace represented their brother bond. as much as dean loved that necklace and as much as he never took it off as he held it so dear, it seemed from this ep that dean himself never saw it as symbolizing their relationship as a whole. it seems that the “amulet” as what represents their bond is what surprised him…..kind of like …the amulet…that’s what you think I would pick as a symbol of our bond? then sister you don’t know me at all?:D
I think dean sees something else as representative of the boys bond, something he in fact holds most precious next to his brother….the one thing that’s been there from the start….the one thing that truly represents their home …. yes it was given to him by his father and not sam….but it is sam and dean who have shared their most precious moments here. it’s the one place that they both find comfort. it’s the one thing that they’ve shared their feelings, their fears, their anger, their hope, their perseverance, and most of all their love. when it was broken, sam made sure that if there was only one working part, …it was never to be given up on….how many times has she been battered and bruised, only to be repaired again and living to fight another day. when one brother was lost or absent from his side , what was the one thing they still had to hold onto the other…to feel the other’s presence….what’s the one place they’ve always gone back to….what’s the only other object that dean has taken such care of, with such love and affection….the only other thing besides his brother….
on the road so far….the boys against the world….til the end….and what is it that takes them there….what is it that is driving these boys to that beautifully painted sunset…what is the one thing that symbolizes the love and sheer tenacity of the Winchester brothers and is right there to always keep them moving….going forward, fighting together side by side…..it’s baby….
so the way I see it, dean’s surprise comes from the[b] object[/b] the fandom girls chose as representative of their love and brotherhood……and while that amulet meant the world to dean for so many reasons, we are talking dean Winchester here….and if anything represents the boys brotherhood…the love they share….the bond they hold….if anything represents family to these boys….it’s the one thing that that’s been there from the start….the one thing where he felt like he was home, the reason he holds this 1967 classic car so close to his heart, and it’s not because it was a gift from his dad….hell we all get cars from our dads the first time…and how long before we are ready for a new one:D…..no this car has always meant more to dean than just being a cool ride…..and it meant more to sam as well….it’s the car that feels like home and family….if anything would represent the brother bond…..it’s the single most important object in this world….which chuck clearly stated in swan song…for chuck/God (aka kripke), who by the way, it was under his realm that the amulet was tossed…it’s the car that’s a symbol of the bond, not the amulet…..
see it’s fan fiction…the way she interpreted the story, not the way Chuck/God interpreted the story, but he was ok with that….it seemed to me, his not bad, was confirmation that what they believed wasn’t so bad, it’s that they did believe that matters. š again….jmo of course.
but dean saw it through the eyes of the fans and understood why the fans saw the amulet in that regard and because of that he hung it in the one place he cherishes second most in this world….in the car, that both he and his brother share, bond, laugh, cry, argue…..consider their home…. in what I believe dean would consider a symbol of the brother’s bond. š
sorry the last paragraph is in the wrong place…I didn’t realize it until after the second edit and couldn’t go back in to move it. again, my apology
I agree with your interpretation. Well stated.
I do not quite have the romantic view of the brothers relationship that others have . And like I said it is not important to me one way or the other where the amulet is concerned it would take a alot more for me to believe in the brothers relationship again than a fake amulet hanging from a car mirror and driving off into the sunset. I just thought Dean’s words seemed abit odd considering past evidence.
I stated earlier that I have thought that Dean feels he doesnāt need the amulet to symbolize what Sam means to him. (Because he never said even in passing, āMan, I wish I hadnāt thrown that amulet away.ā) However, I donāt think it means that the amulet never held true symbolic value in Sam and Deanās eyes.
In addition, I think Dean is a sentimental guy. He kept the Legos and the army man in the Impala even after he rebuilt the car. I think the amulet represented even more Sam and Deanās brotherhood because the amulet had exchanged hands (twice) and Dean had worn the amulet ever since he got it and even when he and Sam had had troubles in their relationship. Then Dean threw the amulet away in [i] 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon [/i] and in [i] 5.18 Point of No Return [/i] he was packing away his gun and his favorite leather jacket that had belonged to his father.
I think that several moments in canon gave the amulet symbolic meaning through deliberate choices in acting, directing etc. Of course people will interpret the symbol in different ways but it seemed clear during seasons 3-5 that the amulet wasnāt intended to be perceived as just a gift that Dean loved having. Thus, Dean saying, [i] āIt [the amulet] never really worked,ā [/i] goes against past characterization.
The sad thing about this episode is that it somewhat ruined the possibility that Sam could give the real amulet back to his brother someday. There isnāt much point to it now because supposedly Dean hadnāt really cared that the amulet had ended up in the trash.
I agree with your interpretation.
This episode is not going it my top twenty of best episodes or anything BUT I adored it. It reminded so much of The Real Ghostbusters but with even more send ups and feels. There’s things that I could let bother me but I’m not going to because this the first episode in a very long time that made we want to rewatch it a dozen times and then debate on it and just generally made me squee with almost no reservations and take part in a fandom that is both amazing and maddening (myself included- I can take the crazy when the show is working for me but it’s much harder to take when it isn’t.) But this episode reminded of why I loved it so much to begin with. So many great moments.
I posted my belief above regarding dean’s belief and that kripke had in fact made clear in swan song what he saw as the true symbol of the boys brotherhood….but I do want to give kudos to Robbie Thompson for pointing out that regardless of what fandom chooses to believe as symbolism for the boys bond vs what kripke in fact decided upon…..I love love love that Robbie pointed out that it was a mistake to toss the amulet….and given sam’s reaction in the car….I still believe that he has the real one and some day not too far away, the real one will show up again….;)
I think it was also a shout out to both dean girls and Sam girls too. Besides, we know that Sam sees his brother as a hero as he confessed in both fresh blood and trial and error, but it didn’t stop Sam from giving the chick from the bank in night shifter the…..yeah my brothers a hero bitch face, oh how I love his bitchfaces:) when she was going on and on about dean being so brave. It’s what siblings do:D
Sam does see his brother as a hero. The line if you cut your hair you would make a good dean was a shout out that little Sammy grew up and is a hero too.
I also wondered if it was a sly reference to Jared’s Gilmour Girls ‘Dean’ who had much shorter hair at that time. They’ve teased Jared about it beforeā¦. in Hollywood Babylon. š
I pretty much agree with you and everyone who posted. Loved this episode. All the references and both reactions from the guys were priceless. When they sang Carry on My Wayward Son thought it was interesting that “Mary” was the first voice to start singing. My favorite of course was the amulet. I’ve been hopeing that it would reappear in some fashion and this was perfect.